Halo: Glassing Halo
by Red Sentinel
Summary: As the Great Schism occurs, the Elites side with the humans. Meanwhile, the Spartans set out to find the Spartans known as the Lost Platoon. Thanks to Halopedia and EVERYONE who has helped me in one way or another. Rated T for violence and romance.
1. Prologue

Halo: Glassing Halo

Prologue

The Covenant cruiser _Avenger of Truth_ loomed ominously over the ring known as one of the Halos.

In the bridge, the Spartan, Ricoh-119, turned to his friend, the Sangheili (Elite) Zealot Zorro' Zamamee.

"This is it, eh?"

"Yes, this is the place. Installation 07. We have arrived."

Ricoh gazed out into space, staring long and hard at the installation. He was struck by the peacefulness. So tranquil, so quiet, so inviting. But they knew better.

Ricoh turned to another Spartan at the controls.

"Is it safe?" he asked.

The Spartan tapped furiously on the controls, effortlessly reading the Covenant glyphs that blurred across the screen.

"Yes," she finally answered. Calling up a scan on the screen, she pointed to the installation. "The installation is deactivated. No Flood activity detected either."

"Thanks, Juliet," Ricoh said. He turned to the controls. "Call all forces.. We're going in."

The _Avenger of Truth_ turned and slid smoothly toward the ring.

**Installation 07**

**Flood Containment Facility**

In the facility, the dormant Gravemind awoke.

It had been long. Too long, in fact, when the Halos had been fired and he, along with other Flood, had been forced into indefinite hibernation.

Until now.

Arise, my brothers! Arise! The Flood shall rise again! he commanded.

And it did.

One by one, each door of the cells in the facility imploded as the Flood pummeled its way through. Scores of Infection Forms surged through in a seeming tidal wave. A handful of Combat Forms leaped through the doors. Carrier Forms waddled clumsily through.

And two Tank Forms lumbered through.

Gravemind surveyed the gathering of the Flood. Not bad, for a start.

But not good enough.

Mobilize all forces on this installation. Gravemind boomed. There must be more Flood here. Go!

The Flood forces surged into the facility, smashing everything in their sight, obtaining weapons, finding a way out.

Gravemind cackled.

The Universe is ours! He cried with pure joy in his voice.

He rethought his last sentence.

No, he corrected. The Universe is MINE!

Gravemind's rumbling, maniacal laughter echoed around the Flood containment facility as he too broke free of his cell.

He could feel it. The Flood around the galaxy was still alive. He called out to them to arise and escape.

The Flood has risen again, he snarled to no one in particular. The Forerunners were fools to think that they could stop us! No one can stop the Flood! No one!


	2. Chapter 1: Forced Marriages

Chapter 1: Forced Marriages

UNSC Admiral Samuel Kluge and the Sangheili Imperial Admiral Xytan Jar' Wattinree shook each other's hands for the first time in their lives. They were aboard the Covenant battleship _Relentless Pursuit_. Since the Great Schism, the Elites had sided with the humans in a bloody civil war against the San'Shyuum (Prophets) and their followers.

They locked eyes, mortal enemies at first, now allies. Even now they felt reluctant working alongside each other. They had never thought, in their entire lives would something like this happen.

Until now.

An uneasy silence ensued, neither one knowing what to say.

Eventually the human broke the silence.

"Well, we're on the same side now," Admiral Kluge stated the obvious fact.

"Preposterous! Blatant treachery!" A voice behind him blustered. Stunned, they turned around as the door behind them opened.

The voice belonged to Colonel James Ackerson. Blustering furiously, he pointed to the Elite.

"First I get sent on this damned ship with no explanation, and when I finally get one THESE creatures are our new allies! The sheer irony of it! They try to kill us all and then they want to join our side!" The colonel was as red as a tomato, almost beside himself with rage.

Xytan Jar' Wattinree's cocked his head at him and glared with such intense fury that Colonel Ackerson took an involuntary step back.

The Imperial Admiral was adamant. "You are right on the account that we tried to kill you all. If the Great Schism had never happened I would have glassed your home planet. But now we are on the same side."

"None of us wants it this way. I do not want it; he does not want it. Fate and fate alone has forced us together. And together we must fight to win."

"How can we be sure you don't have plans of your own? After all, you were working for the Prophets before this, weren't you? So why join us now?" The colonel would not budge.

Xytan Jar' Wattinree's eyes momentarily flashed with anger. His hand moved towards his deactivated Energy Sword hilt, but he decided against it at the last moment.

"Those treacherous Brutes that replaced us! Them and the Prophets! Next to them, you appear as the better side," he snarled reluctantly. With another snarl, he left the room, shaking his head.

Admiral Kluge watched him go, surprised. He turned to Colonel Ackerson with a bemused expression on his face.

"You know, Colonel, you certainly know how to turn allies into enemies real damn fast."

The colonel grimaced. "He was so winded up it didn't take much. He really needs to learn to control his temper."

"Don't we all," muttered the admiral under his breath. "Okay, Colonel, gather all our forces. Especially the Spartans," the admiral said aloud.

"What?!" exclaimed the colonel. "Oh no, not them again! It's always them. They're far to overrated. Just use any old Marine for this!"

"Just do it!" Admiral Kluge insisted.

"Yes, sir," Colonel Ackerson replied reluctantly. He turned to leave.

"And Colonel? One more thing."

The Colonel turned around, a questioning look on his face.

"Remember who's in charge here."

**On the surface of Installation 07**

Ricoh and the other Spartans stepped into the hangar of the _Avenger of Truth_ on an island. Zorro' Zamamee turned to him.

"My forces will guard the ship. You and your team can scout the installation," Zorro' Zamamee suggested.

"Right on, Zor. Now, let's go!" Ricoh gestured to the other members of his team. There was Juliet, their team's engineer and computer hacker. There was Leo, a head taller than he, the group's heavy weapons specialist.

Two more Spartans darted out of nowhere. They were Scott and Tanya, the team's scout and explosives expert respectively.

And the last member of the team materialized out of nowhere beside him. She was Alexandra, the team's spy and sniper.

"Okay, everybody grab a Banshee and scout the area." Ricoh slid into the nearest Banshee. The rest soon followed suit.

The Banshees took off in perfect synchronization, in a V-formation before splitting up over the island in twos.


	3. Chapter 2: First Contact

Chapter 2: First Contact

Chapter 2: First Contact

**High Charity**

The Jiralhanae (Brute) Chieftain Tyrannosaurus strode towards the Council, the _Fist of Rukt_ in hand. He knelt as he approached the Prophets.

"We have found the heretics. They have sided with the humans, Prophets."

"Is that so?" The Prophet of Truth appeared faintly bemused. "I knew all along they would do this."

"They have picked the losing side!" The Prophet of Mercy was jubilant. "There are still those who harbor feelings of loyalty to the Sangheili. Now we have a reason for them!"

The Prophet of Regret, however, appeared grim.

"The humans have been forcing draws and stalemates with our fleets. Three Fleet Masters now have been made redundant. Now the humans may have an opportunity to win."

"Hah!" The Prophet of Truth, despite everything that had happened, still remained contemptuous of the humans. "You will use everything in your power to crush the heretics! The Fleets of Redemption, Retribution, Penitence and Punishment have now been placed under your command."

"Yes, Prophets." Tyrannosaurus turned to leave.

"And return victorious, or do not return at all!" Regret called after him.

**Installation 07**

Scott thought he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He rolled his Banshee over just as a Fuel Rod screamed over him and detonated.

Tanya had seen it first, and returned fire on the Covenant position. Scott and Tanya flipped and rolled as they returned fire. Plasma from both sides punctuated the air, as hidden Shade turrets and Covenant infantry on the ground fired.

"Contact! I repeat, contact! Hostiles located on northwest sector of island!" Scott was screaming into the com as he unleashed a Fuel Rod of his own. Tanya had taken to dive-bombing the Covenant forces, zooming down at almost vertical, then firing the Fuel Rod Cannons and pulling out, firing the main cannons.

"Copy that, Scott. You and Tanya check out the area. Over and out," Ricoh acknowledged.

They landed and stepped out of their Banshees, weapons at the ready. Scott had a Needler; Tanya wielded two Plasma Rifles. They stood back to back, scanning the area around them.

Nothing moved.

They slowly moved into the Covenant position. They moved down a Forerunner-built tunnel. Eventually they reached a large room.

"Looks like some engineering facility," Scott remarked, looking around. "Wouldn't Juliet just love this..."

"It's quiet," Tanya muttered. "Almost too quiet..."

Then out of nowhere the three hidden Brutes and a number of Unggoy (Grunts) and Kig-Yar (Jackals) leapt at them. A few Yanme'e (Drones) also swooped down on them, eager to tear them apart.

Scott and Tanya stood back to back, surrounded by the Covenant.

Tanya cracked her knuckles loudly. "I'm so gonna enjoy this!"

"I think I see something." Leo swerved his Banshee over, heading for the southeastern sector of the island. Juliet followed behind him.

They swept over the island, scanning for any sign of the Covenant facility.

And then the two hidden Wraith mortar tanks fired. They were Type-52s, antiaircraft and artillery models, considerably stronger than the standard Wraith.

The salvo of Fuel Rods ripped through the air at them, exploding all around them, releasing shockwaves and radioactive gel through the air. Leo and Juliet swerved evasively, dodging the antiaircraft fire while returning fire. Unleashing Fuel Rods of their own and firing the main plasma cannons, they forced the Covenant to fall back.

They landed and got out. Leo hefted his Fuel Rod Gun on his shoulder. Juliet checked her twin Plasma Pistols. Satisfied, she nodded to Leo.

A Brute Captain lumbered out of the forest. Startled, he turned around and saw them.

"Demons!" The Brute Captain growled, whipping out his Spiker. Leo and Juliet understood him perfectly, even though he was speaking the Jiralhanae language.

"Yeah, we are!" Leo replied in the same tongue and fired his Fuel Rod Gun at the surprised Brute.

"The Covenant are everywhere on this place," Ricoh commented to Alexandra as they received Juliet on the com.

"Heads up! Here they come!" Alexandra warned as two enemy Banshees swooped in on them and fired. Ricoh half-smiled as he dodged the clumsy bolts of plasma, then fired the main cannons coupled with a Fuel Rod. He watched in infinite satisfaction as the enemy Banshee exploded and the Brute pilot was blown out of the wrecked Banshee, flailing frantically all the way down.

A moment later, Alexandra dispatched her opponent. She turned to move west.

"Those Banshees came from that direction. Let's check it out," she suggested.

"Good idea," Ricoh answered. They landed shortly after at what appeared to be a Covenant vehicles depot.

"We could use some of those." Ricoh glanced at all the vehicles parked there. Every conceivable Covenant vehicle was parked there, seemingly with nobody guarding them. It was a windfall.

But they knew far better than to assume everything was safe.

Ricoh checked his Covenant Carbine, ensuring the radioactive rounds were properly loaded and that he had a full clip in the gun. Alexandra inspected her Beam Rifle before activating the Active Camouflage on her armor. She slipped into the depot.

She glanced left, then right. No one. No one on her motion tracker as well. But all of a sudden, a Brute Captain leapt out. He sniffed the air, swinging his Mauler back and forth. Alexandra struck him on the back of his head and he pitched forward and lay still.

And at that moment, five Jump Pack Brutes screamed out of the sky, firing as they landed in front of them. They stood menacingly, aiming their Spikers, Brute Shots and Brute Plasma Rifles at them.

Alexandra deactivated her Active Camouflage, leveling her Beam Rifle at them.

Ricoh casually aimed his Carbine at the Brutes.

"You think you can take us on, Demons?" The other Brutes met the taunting remark with jeers. They closed in, ready to tear the two Spartans apart.

"Yeah, we can!" Ricoh aimed between the lead Brute's eyes and fired a three-round burst.


	4. Chapter 3: The Lost Platoon

Chapter 3: The Lost Platoon

Chapter 3: The Lost Platoon

Aboard the UNSC frigate Black Prince

Kelly-087 was still asleep when she received the order from Colonel Ackerson. Groggy, she sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes, groaning slightly.

"Why was Colonel James Ackerson doing this of all things?" She asked herself. Maybe, she thought, just maybe, he had finally given up his misconceptions about the Spartans and started to respect them.

She smiled to herself, then hit the showers and got dressed.

"Hey," Linda-058 mentioned to Fred-104. "Get to the briefing room quick. Our next mission is coming up real soon."

Fred grinned and pretended to rub his forehead. "Man, I'm still recovering from the last one," he joked.

They headed to the mission briefing room. After a few minutes, the surviving Spartans who were capable of combat except for the Master Chief were there. Just four of them.

Out of all the Spartans, only Kelly, Fred, Linda and Maria-062 were present and capable of fighting. The rest were either wounded, dead, missing in action or discharged.

Admiral Samuel Kluge shook his head sadly. He turned to the Spartans.

"You see, Spartans, other than the Chief himself, you are the only ones left of what had been a plan to retake the galaxy from the damned, godforsaken Covenant. The plan was perfect, yet so flawed. Many of you died even before seeing combat, while we biologically augmented you. So before we begin our briefing, I would like to request one minute of silence to commemorate our fallen Spartans."

Kelly, Linda, Fred and Maria contemplated their comrades, heads buried in their hands.

"Ah. Now we can get to business." Admiral Kluge moved to a holographic projector. "Maybe, Kalmiya, you can take it from here?"

"Certainly, Admiral." The slender form of Kalmiya appeared. She was Cortana's older and much lesser known "sister", also cloned from Dr Catherine Halsey's brain tissue.

"All right then. I leave you here." The admiral left the briefing room.

Kalmiya smiled. "As you all know, the Elites have joined us to fight the Prophets and their followers. Now, with our renewed strength, we can crush the Covenant and the Flood. But that will follow as soon as we are in a position to do so. Right now, he have a rather different mission for you."

"What do you mean, "rather different"?" Maria asked.

"I couldn't help listening to Admiral Kluge. He didn't know…when he said you were the last ones…" Kalmiya trailed off. "He was wrong."

The Spartans gaped. "You mean, there are more of us?" Linda asked.

Six holographic Spartans appeared next to Kalmiya, three boys and three girls.

Fred studied them. He looked at the first boy, who had dark hair and cool, collected eyes, armed with a MA5K carbine. He was the picture of seriousness. The second boy had a crew-cut hairstyle and a square jaw. He had a scar down one cheek. He was a head taller than the rest of the holographic Spartans, hefting a variety of heavy weapons. He was smiling, his teeth gritted. The third boy had brown hair and blue eyes, which seemed to dart here and there. He was poised on his feet, ready for action. He wielded an M90 shotgun.

And as for the girls…

Damn, they were beautiful.

The first girl had red hair that hung to her shoulders down both sides of her face. She had pale skin and she was smiling, wielding two MA5B assault rifles and demolition charges slung across her slender waist. The second girl had cropped brown hair and a slender face. She carried an SRS99D sniper rifle, which was rested on her shoulder. The third girl had black hair that almost seemed to flow down her face. Even from the hologram, you could see a gleam in her eyes and a thin smile forming on her lips. She carried a small supercomputer and two M6D pistols. Fred couldn't help eyeing their sleek figures.

From the corner of his eye, Fred saw Kelly looking disapprovingly at him, an eyebrow raised. He hastily averted his eyes.

"From left to right, they are Ricoh-119, Leo-262, Scott-560, Tanya-109, Alexandra-298 and Juliet-525. They are also known as the Lost Platoon, as outside of the Office of Naval Intelligence they never existed. They were supposed to go into the highest levels of ONI: espionage and deciphering of Covenant messages. In fact, they were trained in reading and speaking Covenant and Forerunner languages, using Covenant and Forerunner technology, using Covenant vehicles and piloting ships. In short, they were our human Covenant warriors."

Their holograms disappeared and were replaced by the seven Halos and the Ark.

"They were assigned to travel the galaxy and capture all Activation Indexes of all the Halos for use against the Flood. With the exception of Installation 04, or Alpha Halo, which the Master Chief John-117 captured its Index, they have secured the Indexes of Installation 01, 02, 03, 05 and 06. However, we lost contact with them over Installation 07.

"This is your mission. Find the Lost Platoon and bring them back here. We require their assistance in our plan. They will be using Covenant weapons, as they had no access to ammunition in human weapons. They were last seen wearing the old Mark V Spartan armor, but knowing them, Juliet must have modified their armor somehow. You, on the other hand, will be using the Mark VI armor. Good luck, Spartans."

Kalmiya's holographic figure disappeared from sight. The Spartans left the briefing room, headed for the armory.

"To think that there were so many of us, and now we're the only ones who can fight," Linda observed.

"Until we find the Lost Platoon, we won't be the only ones left," Fred answered.

"Yeah, we all know why you want to find them. Especially the girls," Kelly ribbed, sending everyone except Fred into stitches.

"No, really. This is battle on a galaxy-wide scale. Four of us isn't much of us to go round," Fred explained after the laughter had subsided.

"Make that five," a gruff voice behind them replied.

They turned, surprised, as the Master Chief entered the ship, MA5C assault rifle in hand.

"No," Cortana added from the Master Chief's armor. "Make that six."

The _Black Prince_ headed for Installation 07.


	5. Chapter 4: The Fun Begins

Chapter 4: The Fun Begins

**Installation 07**

The Brute lunged at Scott, howling with rage, swinging its fists in a grotesque roundhouse punch aimed at Scott's head.

Scott calmly dodged the clumsy blow and lunged with his Needler. He ducked and slammed his Needler into the Brute in a bone-crushing melee that snapped his head back. He fell over and Scott hit him again, breaking his neck.

Tanya rolled onto her back and fired long bursts from her twin Plasma Rifles, spraying the facility with superheated plasma. Grunts cried out piteously as they were hit and fell forward, blue blood pooling about their corpses. She rolled to the side as the other Brutes closed in on her, firing their Brute Shots. The grenades exploded harmlessly. She fired, dropping one and wounding the other.

Scott turned around and fired at the incoming Drones as they swooped down, claws bared, firing their Plasma Pistols, ready to rip them to pieces. They tumbled to the ground as the razor-sharp homing projectiles pierced their armor and exploded. He turned and reloaded, then fired 7 rounds into the wounded Brute.

The Brute's dying scream echoed through the facility as he exploded, spraying the facility with purple blood. The surviving Jackals snarled and turned tail in ignominious defeat. Tanya cut them down as they ran.

The facility was spattered with blood of all types. Only the Spartans stood.

In the forests…

The force of the Fuel Rod detonating threw the Brute Captain backward. He landed with a sickening thud, his arms, legs and head lying at unnatural angles.

"Good shot," Juliet remarked. Leo smirked.

"Let's take out those Wraiths. Cover me!" Leo crouched low and reloaded his Fuel Rod Gun. They ducked into the forest, moving swiftly through the undergrowth. Eventually they sighted the two Wraiths and the Covenant infantry. Leo placed the Fuel Rod Gun to his eye. He sighted briefly and fired.

The Fuel Rod impacted directly on one of the Wraiths, sending radioactive gel arcing in all directions. The weaker Covenant infantry, the Grunts and Jackals, scattered like quail. The Brute Minors and Majors tried to rally them, but at that moment, another Fuel Rod detonated nearby. The Brutes fell back, firing their Spikers and Maulers wildly at the bushes.

Juliet rolled to the ground as the Wraiths returned fire. The ground shook as the Wraiths' Fuel Rods slammed into the ground near them. Leo smiled grimly. The Wraiths could not depress enough to hit them. Signaling to Juliet, they charged.

Juliet sent overcharged plasma pistol shots at the Brutes and finishing them with melees while Leo leapt towards the Wraiths. As he got closer, the Shade turrets on the Wraiths and hidden Shade turrets opened up. He ducked below the crisscrossing fields of fire and sighted again.

The Fuel Rods impacted on the Wraiths and they exploded in twin balls of fire. Juliet fired with her plasma pistols and silenced the Shades.

In the vehicles depot…

The Jump Pack Brute fell over dead, three Covenant Carbine rounds between his eyes. He landed, spattering the ground with blood. The Brute next to him charged at Ricoh as Alexandra fired, and the Beam Rifle projectile splashed across his Power Armor.

The Brute roared and Alexandra fired into his open mouth. The Brute keeled over backward, a neat hole burned into his mouth and neck. Alexandra turned and fired at the other Brutes, driving them back as they returned fire. The grenades and hot metal projectiles snapped around her.

Ricoh fired at the Brutes' heads, dropping two more. He caught the empty magazine casing as it ejected out the back of the Carbine between his fingers and loaded a fresh clip into the Carbine.

Alexandra switched to a Plasma Rifle and leapt to one side as the Brutes brought to bear their Spikers and Brute Plasma Rifles. She clapped her hand to her shoulder as she was struck and saw blood. Despite her pain, she leapt at the Brutes, swinging the Plasma Rifle. It connected with one of the Brutes and he staggered with the impact. Ricoh put two rounds through the Brute's head and his struggles ceased.

The last Brute roared and leapt, switching to a Brute Shot. The deadly bayonet gleamed as he lunged at them.

The blade could easily cut both of them in half.

Ricoh rolled through the Brute's thrust and fired. But at that point the Brute was upon him, his hands clawing about Ricoh's throat.

Ricoh could feel the Brute's hot breath as he snarled at him, its eyes narrowed, leering at him. The Brute's strangling fingers of one hand squeezed relentlessly, the other bringing the bayonet to Ricoh's throat. Ricoh could not shoot or struggle. He felt his trachea being forced shut. He gritted his teeth as he struggled against the Brute.

And a burst of Plasma Rifle bolts flew over his shoulder, striking the Brute.

The Brute staggered back, and at that point Ricoh clenched his fist and hurled a Plasma Grenade down the Brute's throat. The Brute howled and exploded in a blinding flash of blue light, spraying the ground with blood.

Ricoh massaged his half-crushed throat. He turned to Alexandra. "Thanks, Ally. You really saved my life back there," he wheezed.

Alexandra smirked. "No problem, tough guy."

They commandeered the vehicles, heading back to the _Avenger of Truth_.

The Chieftain of the Jiralhanae Tyrannosaurus stood in the bridge of the lead ship in his fleets, the _Savior Of The Prophets_.

The Grunt Minor Sasap walked up to him. He was trembling with fear, as he always felt around all Brutes. He knelt, not daring to look up.

"Er…sir…" Sasap began to say.

"What is it?" Tyrannosaurus's hand tightened around his Gravity Hammer, the _Fist of Rukt_.

"W…We have found some Demons, Chieftain," Sasap explained, still looking down.

"Where?" Tyrannosaurus's voice grew to a snarl.

"On the Halo, Chieftain. That one."

"Which one?!" Tyrannosaurus roared.

"The one near to…" Sasap's voice trailed off as he tried to explain what he meant. "Er…the big starry thingy in space…"

"The Ark!" Tyrannosaurus looked out the window of the ship. He saw the ring that was Installation 07. Turning to Sasap, he growled.

"I know them! They have plundered the Installations of their Indexes! They MUST be stopped! The humans are planning something, I know!" Tyrannosaurus roared. "Call my lieutenants NOW!"

"Yes, sir!" Sasap ran away as fast as his little legs could carry him. Tyrannosaurus's lieutenants arrived a few minutes later. They were the War Chieftains Dangerus, Furius and Genius.

"Call your best strike teams. The Demons must be stopped! Send them to the Library of this installation. Secure the Index!" Tyrannosaurus commanded.

"Yes, sir!" His lieutenants tapped a series of commands. Within minutes, a whole battalion of Grunts, Jackal Snipers, Drones, Brute Captains, Jump Pack Brutes and Hunters was assembled. Dangerus and Furius moved in as the battalion's commanders. The Phantom drop ships prepared for liftoff.

"Do not fail me!" Tyrannosaurus snarled as the doors on the Phantoms closed.


	6. Chapter 5: The Flood Rising

Chapter 5: The Flood Rising

**Aboard the UNSC **_**Black Prince **_

Kelly, Linda, Fred and Maria were trying on the MJOLNIR Mark VI armor for the first time.

"Wow. This is so much better than the old one," Kelly noted, as she fired a burst of MA5C assault rifle bullets at a target. The bull's eye of the target was obliterated.

"Yeah," Fred agreed. The Master Chief gave what appeared to be the faintest ghost of a smirk.

"It's about time you got one of these. They beat the crap out of my old one." The Master Chief gave one of his rare offhand remarks. Linda smiled. That was certainly a moment to preserve.

"Let's go! The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers are waiting for us at the airlocks!" Cortana urged from within the Master Chief's armor.

The Spartans moved to the airlocks of the _Black Prince_. Beside them, the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, or ODSTs for short, lined up in two rows beside the airlocks, the drop pods docked and ready to launch. They were nicknamed "Helljumpers". Their motto was "Feet First Into Hell". Major Antonio de Silva was there to meet them.

"Now as you may have noticed, we have some visitors with us," the major blatantly remarked. He certainly did not like the Spartans. The ODSTs nervously laughed, remembering the time when the Master Chief had killed three of their own in combat in a boxing ring.

It had been an accident. At the time.

The Spartans did not respond to this openly, but Fred tightened his grip on his MA5C assault rifle and Linda narrowed her eyes.

"Okay. I admit it. I'm not a big fan of the SPARTAN program, but I do know this. How are we going in, Helljumpers?" Major de Silva shouted.

"WE GO FEET FIRST, SIR!" came the reply.

"Just checking," the major said. "Okay, get the hell in there and do your mommies and me proud!"

The Helljumpers and Spartans moved into the pods. "Don't wet your pants," the major called after them as a mocking afterthought.

The engines on the pods fired up and the pods blasted away, one after the other, streaking towards the installation.

"Heads up," Fred muttered to the other Spartans in the pod with him. "It's gonna get real toasty in here…"

The pods reached the installation's atmosphere and started to glow red-hot. As the pods plunged into the atmosphere, the temperature built up to incredibly high levels. Coupled with the pressure-cooker environment in the pods, it explained why ODSTs were nicknamed Helljumpers.

No wonder it took a certain sense of insanity to join.

Installation 07

The Lost Platoon returned to the Avenger of Truth as night fell. They had commandeered the vehicles from the depot and captured the facility Scott and Tanya had found.

As they neared the ship, they noticed a small pile of Brute, Jackal and Grunt corpses. Zorro' Zamamee was standing near the pile. Blood stained the ground and dismembered limbs and heads lay scattered around the pile.

"Seems like you guys had your share of fighting as well," Ricoh noted.

The Zealot nodded. "Some Brutes thought they could take us on. They expected us to be weak. So they attacked. And they bled."

They moved into the Avenger of Truth. As they headed into the main engineering facility of the ship, Juliet whistled a tune. A Huragok (Covenant Engineer) floated into the facility, chirping happily. He drifted towards the team, hovering around Juliet.

Juliet laughed. "Yes, I know, it's been quite long, but not that long. Why don't you help me over here?"

The Covenant Engineer, _Just Right_, was Juliet's pet and assistant. As like all Covenant Engineers, he had been named after the arrangement of gas sacs in his body, which allowed him to float. The Lost Platoon had found him aboard an abandoned Covenant ship and Juliet had taken him in as one of them.

Just Right hovered over a computer terminal, tapping with his purple tentacles. Covenant glyphs scrolled across the screen, intelligence they had downloaded from the Covenant facility. Zorro' Zamamee studied the text closely. Eventually he looked up at the rest of the Lost Platoon.

"The Library of this installation is located on the other side of this ring, amongst the northeastern sector of the mountain ranges. It appears the Covenant are also after the Index. We must beat them to it."

"The mountain ranges? That's not too far from the facility we came to…" Tanya observed.

"Ok, that's it," Ricoh concluded. "Zor, move the ship to where you think the Library is. You and your forces guard the ship. We will call you."

The Zealot did not usually take commands from others as he was usually the commander. But he made an exception for Ricoh. He nodded. "That will do, Ricoh."

Ricoh nodded to the other Spartans of the Lost Platoon. They set to work, recharging their plasma weapons, replenishing their ammunition, repairing their armor. _Just Right_ hovered around the facility, making repairs with blinding speed. Leo and Alexandra ran diagnostics, ensuring their Overshields and Active Camouflages were in working order. Tanya knelt down and pulled a large Covenant crate from below a terminal. She smiled as she saw what it contained. Her favourite toys.

But meanwhile, the Flood was surging through the installation. Commandeering Covenant ships, smashing facilities to rubble, killing everyone on sight. They had become a massed army, seemingly stretching on forever. They had reached an advanced stage, with numerous Tank, Ranged and Stalker Forms, hundreds of Combat Forms, almost uncountable Infection Forms.

The Index must be destroyed! Gravemind rumbled. We must get to it! I call upon the Flood of the galaxy! Our time is at hand!

Indeed, the Flood was breaking out everywhere, on all Halos across the galaxy. As Gravemind called out to them, so they responded, leaving the Halos, colonizing the planets closest to them, retaking the galaxy that had once been theirs. They were seemingly unstoppable.

Just like a flood.

"Imperial Admiral. You must take a look at this," Ship Master Rtas' Vadum said. Imperial Admiral Xytan Jar Wattinree came over. He read the display on the terminal, shaking his head.

"What is it?" Admiral Kluge asked.

"The Flood. They have overrun all the planets closest to them. They have also spread to more distant planets. This does not look good. Now we are fighting a two-front battle."

"Impossible!" Colonel James Ackerson declared. "The Flood could never be like this!"

"But that is not the worst part, Colonel," Rtas' Vadum added. "I have received an analysis of Installation 07 before and after the Flood broke out. I am now displaying the analysis on your terminal."

Before, the installation had been green and blue. Admiral Kluge was reminded of Earth. But after the Flood had broken out, the installation had changed drastically. The whole installation was brown.

Brown with Flood.

"Oh my…" Colonel Ackerson started.

"That is not all, Admiral. There is still a part of the installation which is not colonized with Flood. " Rtas' Vadum rotated the image. There was still a wide patch of green on the installation. The Flood were on both sides of the last remaining patch.

"We are viewing the installation from space right now." The Ship Master zoomed in on the image. Admiral Kluge rubbed his eyes. Could he be dreaming? He was not, he decided. The huge masses of Flood were converging on the last patch of land which had not been colonized by them.

The jaws of the Flood were closing.

"And that," concluded the Ship Master, "is where the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and the Demons have landed."

"Oh dear…" Admiral Kluge shook his head.


	7. Chapter 6: Down The Shafts

Chapter 6: Down The Shafts

**The Library of Installation 07**

The Covenant Loyalist Phantoms landed in a patch of flat land just before the mountain ranges. Dangerus and Furius stepped off, followed by the rest of the battalion of Covenant soldiers.

"We must find the Index," Dangerus rumbled. "Half of you, follow me! The rest, follow Furius!" Dangerus was older than Furius and thus assumed control of the battalion.

The two task forces went separate ways, each attempting to reach the Index. When one task force had secured it, they would contact the other. The other would then clear the exit for the first task force

"Oh no!" The Grunt Minor Sasap groaned as he tried to keep pace with Dangerus and the rest of his task force. "Can't run with methane tank on back!" He complained to his friend, the Grunt Minor Kapflip.

"Brutes never give us time to rest," replied Kapflip. The other Grunts agreed, and were only quelled when the Brutes and Jackals threatened to shoot them on the spot. Kapflip and Sasap moved as fast as they could, but soon fell behind. They dropped further and further behind, until even the Hunter pair in their task force was ahead of them.

Eventually they were alone. Trembling with fear, they advanced, pointing their Needlers at anything they saw or heard.

They reached the mountain ranges at long last. As they entered a tunnel, Sasap and Kapflip heard a sound they had never heard before.

The sickening sound of Flood.

Sasap turned in the direction of the sound, and yelped in fright as a Flood Combat Form lashed out at him, missing him by millimeters. He and Kapflip shrieked, firing their Needlers at the Combat Form before running as fast as they could down the tunnel.

The Lost Platoon landed the _Avenger of Truth_ on the far side of the mountain ranges and got out. They were eager to get this over with and complete their last mission.

"Okay then, let's move out! Same teams as usual!" Ricoh called out. They split into their teams. As usual, Scott was with Tanya, Leo was with Juliet and Ricoh stayed with Alexandra.

"Okay, Scott, you and Tanya get inside and find a vital spot. Then activate and get out. Leo, get Juliet to the Index and follow any Monitor that appears. Tell them what we're here for and call our friend if things get ugly. Zor and his team will move in as reinforcements. We'll hold off the Covenant and get to the Index if all else fails," Ricoh explained hurriedly. The other Spartans nodded. 'Let's go!"

They moved into a Forerunner tunnel, weapons at the ready. Seeing a three-pronged fork in the tunnel, they nodded to each other. Scott and Tanya went left, Ricoh and Alexandra moved right and Leo and Juliet went up the middle fork. They disappeared into the tunnels.

"This way," boomed Dangerus as his task force moved deeper and deeper into the Library. Somehow he had the nagging feeling that a few Grunts were missing, but he shrugged it off. After all, they were just Grunts, he decided. Cannon fodder, that was all they were useful as.

Meanwhile, the two Grunts, Kapflip and Sasap, had finally evaded the Flood Combat Form. They were shaking with fear at how close they had been to death.

"Need…to…find…team!" Sasap exclaimed in frustration. They were lost in the tunnels and corridors. Overcome with fatigue, Kapflip and Sasap curled up and promptly fell asleep.

Furius's task force charged through the Library recklessly, eager to crush everything in their sight. They were sure, other than Dangerus, that they were the only ones in the Library. After all, the Demons were on the other side of this Halo, weren't they? And as for the Flood…

He turned just in time to crash into a horde of Flood. Roaring, his task force opened fire. Dark green blood sprayed the walls. Dismembered Flood body parts landed all around them. Yet the Flood came on relentlessly.

The battle soon developed into wild hand-to-hand combat, with weapon butts, tentacles and blades. The Flood lashed out again and again. Some of the weaker members of the task force fell, their blood mingling with each other's.

Eventually, the Flood forces were driven off. Furius roared in anger, slamming his Gravity Hammer into a wall. Only a few minutes of combat, and half his Grunts and Jackals were dead. He sighed. At least his Grunt Heavies, Special Operations Grunts and some of his Jackal Snipers survived. Still, he urged his forces forward.

"This way!" he shouted. He rounded the corner ahead of his task force, only to reel backward as a Flood Tank Form backhanded him across the face. The other Tank and Combat Forms with it snarled and moved in for the kill. Furius's task force charged, rushing the Flood forces head-on.

Elsewhere…

"Wow," Scott remarked to Tanya as they moved up the tunnel. "Kind of comfy in here."

"You think?" Tanya asked. Scott could picture how she raised an eyebrow behind her visor. Her hands moved to her utility belt, ensuring everything was intact.

"Yeah, it certainly is," Scott replied. "No Covenant, a long way to go…" He stopped and added mischievously, "Just you and me, and the night's still young." He laughed as Tanya punched him playfully on the arm.

"Jokes aside," she stated bluntly and they carried on. Eventually they arrived at a large chamber. Forerunner glyphs lined the walls like an Egyptian pyramid. The room was constricted, with several large pillars.

Scott glanced around quickly, ensuring it was clear. Nodding to Tanya, they moved in.

The next moment, they threw themselves to the ground as a jet of radioactive gel sprayed the area they had been in a moment ago.

Leo chased after Juliet, hefting his Fuel Rod Gun. "Hey, wait up!" he called. Juliet was racing ahead, instinctively knowing where to go.

"Sorry," Juliet replied. "I'm running high today." All of a sudden, a flying purple box-like ball appeared in front of them. His eye turned to look at them.

"Greetings! I am the Monitor of Installation 07. I am 117649 Repentant Vector. The Flood have launched a catastrophic outbreak, Reclaimers. We must secure the Index before the Flood do."

Leo and Juliet gaped. "The Flood?! They're supposed to be dead!" Leo exclaimed.

"Yes, true. Unfortunately, the Flood containment facilities on this installation contained a Gravemind. When he awoke, he rallied the other Flood to him and caused the outbreak. Follow me!" The Monitor sped down the tunnels and Leo and Juliet raced after him.

Out of nowhere, the hidden Flood Combat Forms leapt at them, weapons firing wildly, tentacles flailing, ready to lash the two Spartans to death. Their energy shields flashed as they were hit. Leo swung his Fuel Rod Gun, slamming the heavy mortar gun viciously into the Flood Combat Forms around him, sending them flying everywhere. Dark-greenish blood splattered the walls, a macabre parody of vandalism. Leo fired his Fuel Rod Gun to keep them down.

Juliet ducked below the flailing tentacles and limbs of the Flood and fired her secondary weapon, her Spiker. Blood flashed and Flood body parts flew everywhere, severed by the superheated metal spikes. Yet the Flood came on relentlessly. Leo lobbed Fuel Rod after Fuel Rod with incredible accuracy, taking out all the Flood around her.

Juliet glowered. "You know, I could have taken them out myself." Even so, she had to admire Leo's accuracy. She had taken only minor splash damage. 117649 Repentant Vector turned to wait for them.

"We must hurry, Reclaimers. Time is not on our side." The Monitor sped down another tunnel. As Leo ran, he spoke to Ricoh on the com.

Ricoh listened to Leo's message, surprised. He turned to Alexandra.

"The Flood! I don't believe it…! They broke out somehow!"

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Look out!" she shouted a moment later.

Ricoh rolled out of the way just in time as a Flood Tank Form obliterated the area he had occupied a moment earlier. Roaring, it charged at them. Ricoh and Alexandra opened fire on the Tank Form. The projectiles from the Beam Rifle and the Covenant Carbine struck its body but did not do much damage.

The Tank Form roared again, slamming its oversized hands into the ground. The two Spartans were thrown backwards. Ricoh fired his Covenant Carbine. Three radioactive rounds entered the Tank Form's mouth. It howled and died, dark-greenish blood oozing out of its mouth, congealing around its corpse.

Alexandra kicked the corpse to ensure it was really down and out. Bone snapped and a sickening _thwack_ was heard as she slammed her foot into the corpse. Satisfied, she nodded at Ricoh. "Nice one."

This coming from the sniper, Ricoh thought. "This way!" he called.

They rushed through the tunnels, weaving and dodging as they fired at Flood, leaving a grisly trail of bodies behind them. Eventually they arrived at a chamber. As they got close, a Firebomb grenade exploded nearby. A Spike Grenade also detonated, forcing them to take cover. Through Alexandra's scope on her Beam Rifle, they saw several Brute Stalkers and Brute Majors fighting the Flood.

Ricoh whistled softly. "The Covenant and the Flood. Looks like everyone wants to join the party."

Alexandra activated her Active Camouflage. She lifted the Beam Rifle and aimed. "This shouldn't take long," she said as her finger tightened on the trigger.

Ricoh brought a hand to his helmet, selected a secure channel, and muttered into the com.

Outside, Zorro' Zamamee activated his Energy Sword. He instructed the Ultra Elites Whynothim and Alwaysmee and several other Elites to guard the _Avenger_. Roaring instructions in the Sangheili language, he and a detachment of Special Operations Elites and Ultra Elites charged into the Library. Zorro' Zamamee and his forces ducked and weaved as Flood came on in waves at them. They fired their Plasma Rifles and Covenant Carbines, suppressing the Flood.

Zorro' Zamamee slashed and lunged with his Energy Sword. Flood all around him fell in pieces, their blood pooling about their dismembered body parts. They moved in.

Elsewhere…

The drop pods from the _Black Prince_ finally reached the surface of Installation 07. The Spartans and the Helljumpers leapt out and dashed out of the open. They formed up in a forest.

A burly Helljumper moved to the head of the group, the insignia of a Master Sergeant on his uniform. His dog tag read "BECKERS, BEN". He had black hair cut short, tattoos on his arms and a scar down his right cheek.

He turned to the Master Chief. "Any idea where the other Spartans are?"

The Master Chief tapped the button on his com and broadcast a short four-word message across the whole installation.

The message known by heart by all Spartans.

Olly Olly Oxen Free.

He listened to the reply. After a few minutes, the Master Chief looked up.

"They're after the last Index," he said.

"Analyzing…The Library is one hundred kilometers north from here," Cortana said from the Master Chief's armor.

"This is Dropship Tango-827 inbound. Sit tight, Helljumpers and Spartans. The Flood's on your tail, so we're dropping off some vehicles. Dropships Foxtrot-909 and Lima-125 also inbound. LZ (Landing Zone) at twenty kilometers north. Special Operations Elites also inbound." The voice of the pilot crackled over the com.

"Okay, let's go!" Sergeant Beckers pointed north. The Helljumpers and Spartans moved out. As he ran, Sergeant Beckers shouted commands.

"Corporal Jefferson, you're with me. Same goes for you, Corporal Kincaid!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Staff Sergeant Edwin, you and your men go with the Spartans!"

"Sir, yes, sir!" they replied.

"Quickly! The Flood ain't going to welcome us with open hands!" Fred yelled as they raced to the landing zone.


	8. Chapter 7: Rat Race

Chapter 7: Rat Race

Scott and Tanya threw themselves to the ground as the hidden Hunters fired. The Hunters advanced slowly. They closed in, swinging their oversized shields and Assault Cannons at them.

Scott and Tanya nodded to each other and attacked. Scott ran, ducking and running circles around a Hunter as it fired and lumbered clumsily after him. Scott switched to two Maulers and returned fire. The rounds slammed into the walls and pillars, blowing chunks off them. He reloaded and fell back.

The rounds bounced off its thick armor as it had been fired from a distance, struck the Hunter in some chinks in its armor. The Hunter staggered back.

It snarled, a guttural growl, and charged at Scott like the proverbial steam train.

Scott stood, poised on his feet like a matador.

The Hunter came closer.

Closer.

Closer still.

At the last moment, Scott rolled out of the way, activating his motion boosters. He rolled behind the Hunter with the speed of a cobra striking.

The Hunter stumbled forward as its shield and Assault Cannon swiped empty air. Scott emptied ten rounds into the Hunter's back.

The Hunter crashed forward, orange blood and worms flying in all directions. It lay still, blood and worms spurting out of its ruined body.

Scott reloaded his Maulers. He shook his head at his fallen adversary, moving his hands across his bloodstained visor. "Next time, brother, try not to get too much blood on the paintwork."

Meanwhile, Tanya dodged the other Hunter's relentless blows. She ducked left and right, evading her adversary's crushing attacks. But one caught her on the side. She fell over, clutching her side. "Ow!"

She felt for any sign of damage. It might have cracked a few ribs. And her energy shields were down to boot. The Hunter closed in, cornering her. Gritting her teeth, she ducked as the Hunter fired its Assault Cannon and hurled a Plasma Grenade. The grenade stuck to the Hunter's shield.

The grenade exploded, driving the Hunter back, its arms flailing. Despite her injury, Tanya leapt with acrobatic grace, kicking off its shield and flipped behind it. Before the Hunter could react, she turned around and fired into its weak spot. The Hunter went down, blood and worms pooling about its corpse.

Tanya removed her armor and applied biofoam to her wound. Scott helped her dress the wound.

She regarded him with a rueful smile. "Lucky you. You're the one with the speed boosters. "

"Oh yeah? You're the one who blows things up. Ain't you lucky," retorted Scott.

Tanya looked him up and down. "And I like my job," she added, smiling serenely.

She put on her armor and removed a long flat object from her utility belt. Placing it at a vulnerable spot in the room, she surrounded the object with grenades. Scott checked that the coast was clear. When they were done, they moved on to the next room.

Leo explained the Lost Platoon's objective to 117649 Repentant Vector as he and Juliet rushed after the Monitor. When he was done, the Monitor looked at them, surprised.

"Oh. That is indeed quite strange, Reclaimers. You intend to capture the Index but you do not intend to fire this installation?"

"Not yet," replied Leo. He was taking chances on this one. On all the other Halos they had been on, they had had mixed reactions from the Monitors. Some had willingly complied, others had reluctantly agreed, and there were those who almost fired at them. They knew how powerful the beam that the Monitors possessed was. And 117649 Repentant Vector seemed to go into the last group.

The Monitor stopped and turned to face them. "I cannot stand for this, Reclaimers. I cannot violate Protocol."

"Yeah," Juliet cut in. "Explain that to our friend here."

There was a blinding flash of light, and another Monitor appeared. The most advanced Monitor of all.

032 Mendicant Bias, the Monitor of the Ark.

"Do as they say, Monitor," commanded Mendicant Bias.

"But…but…this goes against all Protocol! Even you can't break them!" 117649 Repentant Vector was clutching at straws, and he knew it.

"This is your new protocol! They are going to fire all Halos simultaneously. Just as the Forerunners did."

There was a long pause. Despite the fact that the Flood had practically owned the whole of this installation, everything was still. 117649 Repentant Vector issued a few bleeps as he recalibrated his protocols. Eventually he looked up at them.

"So sorry about that, Reclaimers. Very well," he gave an electronic sigh, "we move." Mendicant Bias was satisfied.

"Very good, Monitor. 343 Guilty Spark is a traitor to Protocol and Forerunner alike. I shall deal with him now." He disappeared in a flash of light. Repentant Vector summoned a few Sentinels and Sentinel Majors.

"We must hurry!" 117649 Repentant Vector shot down another tunnel at full speed. His Sentinels followed suit, cutting a swathe through hordes of Flood. Literally. Juliet and Leo fired as they ran, weaving left and right, blasting their way through to the Index.

Dangerus was already three-quarters of his way to the Index, fighting off more and more hordes of Flood as he slowly advanced. He noted grimly that the closer he advanced to the Index, the tougher the opposition. Well, he wasn't going to stand for that.

He roared, ordering his task force to fall back for a while. They took cover and healed their injuries.

"On my command, everyone fire at the same time," Dangerus instructed. "1…2…3…FIRE!!!"

The massed firepower of Plasma Pistols bolts, Needler rounds, Fuel Rods, Covenant Carbine rounds, Plasma Rifle bolts, Plasma Cannon bolts, Spiker and Mauler rounds and Brute Shot grenades came down on the Flood. They were so bunched up that every single one of them was eliminated. Blood and body parts flew everywhere. And behind them, a straight path free of opposition beckoned.

Dangerus grinned. Not the prettiest of sights.

"CHARGE!!" he roared, rushing ahead, his forces hot on his heels like an angry mob.

An angry, organized mob of Covenant warriors, that is.

Meanwhile, Furius was doing badly. His forces had taken a serious pounding due to stiff resistance from the Flood and his bad tactics, like rushing point-blank into a room full of opposition.

Furius ground his teeth. He was almost, well, furious. His task force had been all but decimated. He had only three Brute Captain Ultras, two SpecOps Grunts, two Drones and one Jackal Sniper. Snarling with anger and frustration, he ordered his task force forward.

Things were not looking up. He was the youngest ever War Chieftain. Similarly, he had the most to prove of himself.

He thought he saw a movement from behind. He turned, surprised, just in time to see a Zealot and a team of SpecOps Elites and Ultra Elites leap at them.

The Zealot came down on him and swung his fist round, driving it square into Furius's face, the second time that day. Furius reeled back, stunned. The Zealot, while still spinning in midair, drove his hoof straight into Furius's stomach, sending him flying backwards. The other SpecOps Elites and Ultra Elites fired their Plasma Rifles and Covenant Carbines, massacring the rest of Furius's task force. But the sole Jackal Sniper fired and a SpecOps Elite went down, steam whistling out of his ear. He was silenced by a melee to the back of the head.

The Zealot cornered Furius. Swinging his Gravity Hammer, trying to block the Zealot's deadly accurate lunges and cuts, Furius was driven back.

Yet he still wouldn't give up. He leered at the Zealot. "You cannot defeat me, heretic!"

The Zealot narrowed his eyes, his golden armor shining bright.

"My name is Zorro' Zamamee!" The Zealot roared and swung. Furius's head flew clear off his shoulders. His headless body pitched forward and twitched once. His Gravity Hammer clattered to the ground.

Zorro' Zamamee picked up the Gravity Hammer. He nodded to his troops and they charged into the next room.

Ricoh had answered the Master Chief's call. He looked at Alexandra, who was picking off Flood and Brutes alike one by one. She reloaded and nodded to Ricoh. They moved into the next room.

They entered a long corridor, which appeared to be clear. As the rushed through, hidden doors opened. The Flood surged in. They were surrounded.

Yet again.

Alexandra switched to her Plasma Rifle. To her surprise, Ricoh pulled out what appeared to be a hilt of some weapon. Her suspicions were confirmed when he activated the Energy Sword.

There was no time to ask questions. She fired on full automatic, blazing a path through the wall of Flood. Dark-greenish blood sprayed the air as they fell. Ricoh hacked and slashed as he ran, leaving a grisly trail of bodies behind him.

"Where did you get that?" Alexandra asked Ricoh once they were clear.

"Zor gave it to me. As a gift, when he first met us on Sangheilios. I never thought I would ever use it." His face grew grim. "Until today…"

117649 Repentant Vector whizzed down the corridors, his Sentinels and Sentinel Majors, leaving a clear path for Leo and Juliet. They rushed through chambers and corridors, firing as they ran. Flood Carrier Forms exploded all around them, and Flood Infection Forms leapt at them, only to explode in puffs of noxious gas upon contact with their Energy Shields.

They reached an elevator room. The Monitor beckoned them in. As they slowly ascended, the Monitor turned to them. "The Index is located on the fourth level. I will show you a shortcut. But do not allow any Flood to get behind us."

The door opened and the Monitor shot down the corridors, accompanied by the Sentinels. Leo and Juliet ducked as rockets whooshed over them, slamming into walls.

"In here, Reclaimers!" The Monitor beckoned them into another elevator room. He fixed his purple eye on them. "This elevator goes up two levels. We should be able to reach the Index now. "


	9. Chapter 8: The Index

Chapter 8: The Index

Kapflip and Sasap were awoken by a series of loud explosions coming from their left. Rubbing their eyes, they looked around and saw the Flood in full retreat, with Dangerus's task force in close pursuit. They ran after them, calling out, only to be grabbed and hoisted into the air by Dangerus.

"Why did you desert?" Dangerus roared. Kapflip and Sasap trembled at the sight of him.

" Er…sir…we got lost," Kapflip tried to explain. It sounded lame even to him.

Dangerus growled and they cowered, preparing for the worst. But amazingly, Dangerus set them down on their feet. He snarled at them.

"It matters not. I shall deal with you later." He roared to his forces. "To the Index!"

Scott and Tanya had finally completed their task. The Library was officially now the most dangerous place to be on the installation.

"Great. Now let's get the hell out of here," Scott remarked as Tanya planted the last flat object.

They headed for the exit, retracing their steps back through the Library. This time it was much easier. The Flood had been mostly neutralized, and the Covenant forces were already well into the Library.

Eventually they came out of the Library. Their visors automatically dimmed, adjusting to the sunlight outside. Scott and Tanya headed for the Library. Scott contacted Ricoh on his com. "The Library's live now. We are now out of the Library."

"Good job. Zor is also outside. Now hold position back at the _Avenger_. Wait until the _other_ Spartans and ODSTs get here or until we come back out." came the reply.

Scott blinked. "Ricoh, what other Spartans? Ricoh? Ricoh…?"

"No time to explain! Just…" Scott heard the sounds gunfire and grenade explosions. "Just do it!"

"Copy that boss," Scott answered. He and Tanya raced back to the Avenger. Zorro' Zamamee was waiting for them there. Tanya tapped a series of commands on a special computer she carried. All the safeties of the flat objects were removed.

"What did he say?" Tanya asked as she worked.

"He said somethin' about other Spartans. Said they were coming…"

"Other Spartans? You mean…" she said hesitantly, "more of us? Coming here?"

"Something like that…" Scott replied. Zorro' Zamamee nodded at them.

"More Demons like you…This can mean something good, can it? Did Ricoh know about this?"

"He told us, but I'm still not sure…" Tanya trailed off. "How would UNSC know? Right after Installation 06, we lost all connection with them…"

"Quick! Outside! We are under attack!" Zorro' Zamamee activated his Energy Sword, leaping with the skill of a ninja. Scott, Tanya, and the Ultra Elites Alwaysmee and Whynothim raced outside.

"Oh no…" Tanya groaned, as she saw an all-too familiar yet unwelcome sight.

The first few waves of Flood, which had been closing in on them from both sides, had started to link up at the Library.

Soon the rest of the Flood would be here, and no power they possessed could ever beat them.

The Spartans and Elites stood back to back, facing the advancing Flood, ready to die fighting. Some Elites and Grunts rushed back to the ship and manned vehicles to hold the line.

But the Flood kept coming…

And coming…

And stopped, forming a circle around them.

And a booming, chilling voice echoed through the far side of the mountains.

"I…SMELL…YOUR…BLOOD…!"

"Gravemind…" Tanya breathed.

"Nothing can stop the Flood. NOTHING! Surrender now, and you shall have an honorable death."

"And if we don't?" Scott dared to ask.

"Then I shall consume you!"

"We will never surrender to you, Parasite King!" snarled Zorro' Zamamee.

"Very well. Bring them to me! They shall be my dinner tonight!"

The Flood forces snarled and closed in.

Ricoh and Alexandra reached the elevators of the Library. They ascended to the second level. They knew they were running short of time. The Covenant forces would stop at nothing to capture the Index. And the Flood would stop at nothing to destroy the Index.

A three-way battle, winner take all.

But that was the good thing about these battles. After all, you could let two of them pummel each other and then wipe out what remained of them.

The next few minutes were pure speed. Ricoh and Alexandra ran, weaving, dodging, and ducking. Left, right, duck, left, duck, right, they ran, firing and slashing with their Plasma Rifle and Energy Sword.

Eventually they reached the second set of elevators and headed to the third floor.

"Juliet and Leo must be miles ahead of us by now," Ricoh remarked casually, reloading his Covenant Carbine with ammo taken from Brutes. He fired over Alexandra's shoulder, dropping a few Flood Combat Forms with chest shots.

"Where do you find a shortcut when you need one?" Alexandra groaned, frustrated. She fired over Ricoh's shoulder in turn, and Flood crumpled over, body parts littering the floor.

Her eye was caught by what appeared to be a control panel built into the wall. She moved closer. It glowed an eerie red and blue, and appeared to be a series of circles and lines. Forerunner glyphs dotted it. She studied it for a minute. Then it dawned on her. She was looking at a blueprint of the Library.

"There is a shortcut! This way!" She pulled Ricoh, running off to the left. Surprised, Ricoh followed, trying to keep pace with her.

Kelly, Fred, Maria, Linda, the Master Chief and the Helljumpers reached the Drop Zone. In the plains they could see the Pelican dtopships landing, dropping off their precious cargo of Warthogs, Mongooses and a few Scorpions. A team of SpecOps Elites

"Alright!" Sergeant Beckers whooped as he leapt into the driver seat of a Warthog LRV. Private Alfred Anderson and Corporal Kincaid climbed into the gunner seat and side seat respectively. The other members of his squad commandeered Mongooses and Scorpion Main Battle Tanks. They headed off in a convoy of twelve vehicles towards the Library.

The other ODSTs opted to use the Scorpions and Warthogs. Staff Sergeant Edwin climbed into the side seat just as the Master Chief took the wheel and Maria climbed into the gunner seat. Kelly, Linda and Fred commandeered another Warthog. They headed off in the opposite direction to Sergeant Beckers. The idea was that they would meet at the Library from both sides.

The Warthogs drove through the forests, while the Scorpions trundled behind. Fred noticed some large red blips on his motion tracker. He brought the Gauss Cannon on the Warthog round. "Holy crap!" he yelled. But too late, hordes of Flood rose up from the forest and ambushed them.

They kept driving forward, firing to ward off the Flood. Fred, Maria and the ODSTs blazed away with Gauss Cannons, Light Antiaircraft Guns, 7.62 mm machine guns and 105mm cannons. The Flood were driven back. A few Combat Forms fired Rocket Launchers wildly. The rockets exploded well away from their targets.

117649 Repentant Vector, Leo and Juliet finally reached the Index. As they descended, Juliet couldn't help but grin. After all, their mission was accomplished. All the available Indexes had been secured.

The binding locks on the Index aligned.

"You may now retrieve the Index, Reclaimers." The Monitor watched as Juliet pulled the Index out and stored it in her armor.

"Now hand it over, Demons!" a voice roared from behind.

Leo and Juliet whirled around, surprised, as Dangerus and his forces rushed in.


End file.
